Towel dispensing cabinet



L. H. KIRKELL TOWEL DISPENSING CABINET Aug. 26, 1958 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 25. 1954 run . mv Wm W Aug. 26, 1958 H. KIRKELL TOWEL DISPENSING CABINET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 25, 1954 IJvrm United States Patent Ofilice 2,849,268 Patented Aug. 26, 1958 2,849,268 TOWEL DISPENSING CABINET Leon H. Kirkell, Blairsville, Pa. Application November 23, 1954, Serial No. 470,597 4 Claims. (Cl. 312-38) This invention relates to a towel dispensing cabinet from which the user withdraws a measured length of toweling by grasping an exposed portion of the toweling and drawing it downward. More specifically the invention pertains to mechanism for controlling the length of toweling withdrawn during each pull thereon and the taking up of the used toweling within the cabinet.

Towel dispensing cabinets of the type herein disclosed are placed in wash rooms and other places andare designed to present a clean portion of toweling to each user. The towel is in the form of a roll from which the user unrolls pro-selected lengths and the used end of the toweling is rewound onto a roll of soiled towel which is also stored in the cabinet. In order to maintain maximum sanitary conditions it is desirable to perform all required operations of removing from the roll a clean section of toweling and the taking up of the previously used section of toweling, while the user touches only an exposed unused section of toweling. It is known in the art to provide such a cabinet and also to measure the amount of toweling withdrawn by pulling the exposed clean section of toweling.

The known prior art measuring devices utilize a set of opposing rolls, through which the towel is passed and which are rotated as a section of toweling is withdrawn, to operate a stop mechanism preventing continuously withdrawing toweling after a pro-selected amount is withdrawn. The stop mechanism is effective so long as the user pulls on the toweling. When the user releases the pull upon the toweling the stop mechanism releases and a mischievous user could withdraw an entire roll of toweling by successively pulling and releasing tension on the toweling.

One object of the present invention is to provide a towel dispensing cabinet with a novel improved form of stop mechanism operable for a selected interval after the pull on the toweling is released by the user.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and novel mechanism for dispensing clean toweling and taking up soiled toweling.

Another object of the invention rolls which will not damage the between.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a dispensing mechanism with automatically operable shields which will eifectively protect the unused clean toweling within the cabinet from the ever increasing roll of soiled toweling within the same cabinet.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the attached drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a cross section through the cabinet;

Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the towel dispensing and stop mechanism;

Fig. 3 shows a side elevation of the drive mechanism for the towel dispensing mechanism;

Fig. 4 shows an enlarged elevation of a-portion of the towel measuring and stop mechanism positioned to preis to provide operating toweling passing therevent further withdrawal of toweling while tension is still applied to the toweling;

Fig. 5 shows in full lines the stop mechanism positioned after release of the toweling and by dot and dash lines, the stop mechanism positioned for permitting further withdrawal of toweling;

Fig. 6 shows a plan view of one form of timing mechanism;

Fig. 7 shows a plan view of the stop mechanism of Fig. 5 with the timing mechanism removed; and

Fig. 8 shows a plan View of a portion of a modified form of timing mechanism;

Fig. 9 shows a plan view of the rubber insert of the timing mechanism;

Fig. 10 shows a side elevation of another portion of the timing mechanism;

Fig. 11 shows a side elevation and assembly of the modified form of timing mechanism, including the members shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10.

Referring now in detail to the drawings the towel dispensing cabinet 1 has an outer casing which may be of any suitable form to house the toweling and mechanism. As shown in Fig. l, the casing comprises an integral back portion 2, side portions 3, top portion 4 and front portion 5. The bottom portion 6 is hinged in any suitable manner to the back portion as by hinges 7 and extends upwardly along the front of the cabinet, but terminating short of the front portion 5 to provide a slotted opening 8 through which clean toweling is withdrawn. A suitable slot 9 is also formed in the bottom portion through which the used toweling is withdrawn into the cabinet casing. Any suitable locking mechanism, not shown, may be supplied to keep the casing locked.

Within the casing is a suitable mechanism supporting frame such as the members 11) disposed at each side of the back portion 3 and secured thereto. Adjacent the lower portion of each member 10 are guides 11 between which is disposed a roll of clean toweling 12. The roll 12 may be supported on the hinged portion of the casing as shown in Fig. l or upon other suitable means. Extending forwardly adjacent the upper ends of the members 10 are the supporting side walls 13 and 14 upon which the mechanism is mounted. The side walls 13 and 14 are preferably in spaced relation to the adjacent casing side walls to provide room for mounting the stop and drive mechanism. Depending from the side walls 13 and 14 is a suitable pivoted shield 15 disposed behind the roll 12 of clean toweling to protect it from the entering soiled toweling.

The towel dispensing and retracting mechanism comprises the roll shafts 16 and 17 suitably journaled in the side walls 13 and 14. Shaft 16 has a compressible rubber covering 18 of a predetermined diameter so that the circumference of the roll equals the amount of toweling which may be withdrawn before the stop mechanism is operable to prevent further withdrawal of clean toweling. Above and to one side of roll 18 is a smaller rubber covered roll 19 having a shaft 20 journaled in the walls 13 and 14. Vertical movement of roll 19 is provided for by slotting the side walls at 21 to permit threading the clean toweling between rolls 18 and 19. The rubber covering on roll 13 is relatively soft; i. e. of a suitable durometer so as to grip the toweling between rolls 18 and 19 to prevent slippage between towel and roll 18 when the towel is suddenly pulled and insures uniform measured quantity of towel being delivered to the user. Slot 21 is of sufiicient length so that roll 19 has full bearing on roll 18. Disposed below rolls 18 and 19 is a towel smoothing rod 22 mounted on the walls 13 and 14. Roll shaft 17 has a rubber covering 23 similar to covering 18 of shaft 16. Above and to the rear of roll 23 is shaft 24 journaled within the slots 25 of the walls 13 and 14. The slots 25 are angularly dismounted on an extension 54 of shaft posedrelative to roll 23" and extend to the upper edge of the walls 13 and 14 as shown in Fig. l. Shaft 24 preferably has a suitable covering such as wood or rubber upon which is wound the soiled toweling. The length of slots 25" is such as to permitiroll 24' and. any' toweling thereon to have full bearing against roll.23-. As shown in Fig. 3 Shafts16 and 17 extend' through wall 14 and have gears 26 mounted thereon and over which'is trained. a suitable. drive chain 27. Belowand to the. rearofgshaft 24 (Fig. 1) is a soiled toweling smoothingbar 28 mounted in'slots.29'of side walls 13 and 14. Above and between rolls 18 and 23 is a bar 30 mounted on side walls 13.;and 14-. A shield 31' is pivoted on bar 30 so as 'to: separate the roll of soiled toweling from the clean .towelingpassing over roll 19 for issuing out of the cabinet:

The stop mechanism is illustrated in Figs. 2, 4, 5' and 7 of the drawings. Shaft 16v has a threaded-extension 32 through side plate 13 and the member 33' is mounted thereon by means of the nut 34. Member 33 is spaced from side plate 13 by means of a suitable shoulder on the extension 32 of shaft 16. A dog 35 is disposed beneath member 33 and has a slotted opening 36 through which shaft extension 32 extends. An abutment 37 formed on the underside of member 33 restricts relative rotary movement between the member 33 and dog 35. Said abutment also effects concurrent rotation of member 33 and 35 when in engagement. To one side of member 33 a post'38 is mounted in side plate 13 and a torsion spring has coils 39 encircling the post. Onefree end 40 of'the spring extends through side plate 13 to anchor the spring on the side plate. The opposite free end 41 of'the spring has a curved end portion overlapping member-33 and engaging a stop post 42 mounted thereon. At the opposite side of member 33 is a pivotally mounted detent 43 which engages an indentation 44 in the periphery of member 33 to act as a stop for limiting reverse movement of member 33. A stop 45 limits rotation of dog 43' away from member 33. Above and to one side of member 33 is a stop 46 against which dog 35 abuts to limit rotation of roll 18 in towel feeding direction.

A timing mechanism is likewise shown on Figs. 2, 4, 5.

and 6. This mechanism includes a spring member 47 disposed across the path of movement of dog 35, as shown in'Fig. 4. One end of the spring is fixed to a post 48 mounted on the side plate 13 and the opposite end' of thespring has a slotted end portion 49 engaging a'post 50 mounted on side plate 13. Adjacent its end portion 49 the spring is offset outwardly from side plate 13'. Within the offset portion of the spring is mounted a vacuum cup 51 securedto the spring 47 by the member 52 having a head portionon the outer face of the spring 47 and a shaft portion extending through the spring 47 into engagement with the vacuum cup. A coiled compression spring 53 about post 50 normally holds spring 47 and vacuum cup 51 in spaced relation to side plate 13; The vacuum cup 51 is movable into engagement with side plate 13 upon deflection of springs 47 and 53. Pivotally 17 is a lever 55 having an offset portion 56. Rotation of shaft 17 causes the offset portion 56 of lever 55 to engage the headof member 52 and depress the spring 47 causing engagement between vacuum cup 51 and side plate 13. Behind memher 13 is a needle bleed valve 58 which extendsthrough side plate 13 beneath vacuum cup 51. A slow bleed of air through .valve 58 under vacuum cup- 51 breaks the vacuum causing cup 51 to release from member '13 under pressurefrom spring 53.

For a description of the operation of'the towel dis-' pensing device, reference is made to Figs. 1, 4, 5 and- 6; One end of the roll 12 of toweling is threaded over bar 22, between rolls 18 and 19 thence through the slot 8 in the front of the cabinet. The end of the toweling is then looped beneath the cabinet and inserted through'slot 9, beneath bar- 28 and engaged with roll 24. The towel and mechanismis nowin-the'positionshown-by Figs-1 and 5;

with the dog 35 as shown by d'ot anddash lines on Fig. 5. When the user grasps the. towel extending from the front of the cabinet and pulls downward, the towel passing over roll 19 rotates the roll in a clockwise direction as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. This downward pull upon the towel forces roll 19 into bearing engagement with roll 18 so as to grip the towel between them and cause concurrent counterclockwise.rotation of roll 18 and shaft 16. Roll shaft 16 rotates member 33 at the side of side wall 13 causing. concurrent rotation ofidogs35. During such rotation unslotted head .portionof dog 35 drops by gravity so as to protrude beyond'the adjacent edge of member; 33. and} engage stop a 46: preventing further. rotation of roll 18 and further withdrawal of toweling. At the opposite side of'the mechanisnr'the gears 26 driven by chain 27 also causes rotation of shaft 17. This shaft has lever 55 mounted on extension 54 thereof at side wall 13 and rotates this lever one complete revolution to depress springs 47 and.53 and move vacuum cup 51 into engagement with wall:.13. The-vacuum cup:51 adheres to the side. wall 13 and. retains springs 47 and 53in depressed position. Spring 47 where it crosses dog 35. engages with the dogtohold it inv elevated position and in engagement with stop 46' asshown in Fig. 4. All of the foregoing occursiwhile the userstillmaintains a pull upon the toweling. As soon as the user releases his pull upon the toweling, spring arm'41 in engagement" with post 42 on member.33 imparts aslight reverse or clock-. wise movement tomember 33, moving abutment'37 free of. dog-35 so that the'latter may fall when released by spring.47. The amount of clockwise rotation imparted1to member33 is restricted by detent 43 engaging the. ade jacentedge of indentation 44 in member 33. This con: ditionis shown in Fig. 5 of. the drawing. After aipredetermined interval, depending upon the adjustment of bleed.valve-58, vacuum cup 51 releases from. side wall 13- and the coil spring 53 raises spring 47 from engagement with dog 35 permitting it to fall by gravity away frorn.stop:46 as shown: by dot and dash lines on Fig; 5; The toweling is once more free to be withdrawn fromthe cabinet.

Shouldtheuser, after first releasingthe toweling immediately attempt to withdraw another length oftowel ing from-the cabinet he. can only rotate roll 18 a minute distance ;until abutment 37 again engaged dog 35. Should the-user attempt to remove toweling by jerking, hewcan only succeed in-tearing the exposed toweling since the forcehe excrtsupon the towel is impartedathrough roll 19 to force thelatter against the toweling engaging roll 18. Thus the toweling cannot slip past roll 18'to be withdrawn. It will be apparent therefore that the amount of toweling which may be withdrawn at any one time is'equal 'to the circumference of roll 18. It ispossible for a user to withdraw any amount of available toweling by waiting the required interval for dog 35 to drop before again pulling out more toweling but this situation is rarelyencountered. Even a mischievous user rarely has the patience to wait the required'time interval for succesive withdrawals of lengths of toweling.

The soiled towel depends from the front of the cabinet and is taken up through the bottom of the cabinet.- When the attendant servicing the cabinet places a' roll-of clean toweling in the cabinet, he unrolls a suflicient length'fr'omthe roll to form the required loop beneath the cabinet and to extend inwardly of the cabinet for engagement with take-up roll 24.- The end of the toweling passing into'the-rear of the cabinetpasses beneath soiled towel smoothing bar 28 and is given several wraps about roll 24 so that a clockwise rotation thereof takes up the soiled toweling. The roll 24 bears by gravity against roll 23' and-is driven thereby when toweling is withdrawn through the front of the cabinet. The-diameter ofroll 23 is preferably the same as the diameter'ofroll 18 so that the amount of soiled'toweling taken up by roll 24 is-the same as the amount of toweling withdrawn en is ees "r from the cabinet and passing over roll 18. The slots 25 in members 13 and 14 permit the roll 24 to move upward relative to roll 23 as the diameter of roll 24 is increased by reason of the soiled toweling being wound thereon.

In Figs. 8 to 11 is shown a modification of the timing mechanism of Figs. 4 and 6. Only the modifications are shown in Fig. 11 and those parts not shown are the same as in Fig. 6.

In Fig. 11 the spring 47 is the same as in Fig. 6, also the compression spring 53. The post 60 is threaded for a portion of its length adjacent plate 13 and has a member 59 provided with a tapped opening engaging the threaded portion of post 60. Mounted on side member 13 and adjacent post 68 is a base 61 having a suitable recess 62 therein for reception of a resilient member 63. The member 63 is preferably of rubber and of a suitable durometer to be readily compressed. The member 63 has a circular opening 64 extending therethrough concentric with an opening 65 in the member 61. The opening 65 is preferably of larger diameter than the opening 64 in the member 63. Mounted on spring 47 is a member 66 having a threaded end portion extending through spring 47 upon which is mounted the member 67. The member 66 (Fig. has its threaded end portion terminating in a spherical portion 68 which tapers inwardly at 69 towards the threaded portion of member 66 where it preferably terminates in a shoulder portion 70. The diameter of the spherical portion 68 in relation to that of the opening 64 of the member 63 is such as to effect frictional engagement between portion 68 and member 63. The length of the member 66 from the shoulder 70 to the tip of the spherical portion 68 is such that when shoulder 70 bears against member 63 the maximum diameter of spherical portion 68 has penetrated member 63 to adjacent the horizontal medial line of member 63.

By reason of the friction engagement between spherical portion 68 and member 63 when the member 66 enters opening 64 of the member 63, the portion of the member 63 above the portion 68 of member 66 will exert a resistance to the free withdrawal of the portion 68. This resistance is overcome by the spring 53 when compressed during insertion of portion 68 into the member 63. The outward pull of spring 53 upon portion 68 acting through the threaded end portion of member 66 may be increased by rotating member 59 causing it to move upwardly upon post 60 so as to impose an initial compression in spring 53. Thus when the timing mechanism of Figs. 8 to ll inclusive is substituted for the vacuum cup 51 and bleed valve 58, the lever 55 will depress member 67, spring 47 and engage the spherical portion 68 of member 66 with the member 63. Spring 47 is thus moved into engagement with dog 35 retaining it in engagement with stop 46 preventing further withdrawal of toweling. After lever 55 moves out of engagement with member 67, the compressed coil spring 53 will act to slowly withdraw spherical portion 68 from member 63. The rate of withdrawal of portion 68 may be regulated by manipulation of member 59 to control initial compression in spring 53. This withdrawal movement of the member 66 and its portion 68 also raises spring 47 away from side member 13 to free dog 35 for dropping by gravity. After dog 35 falls free of stop 46 the mechanism may then be operated to permit further withdrawal of toweling.

Those skilled in the art will readily recognize various alterations and modifications of the mechanisms herein disclosed which may be effected without departure from the invention. Therefore, the exact details of construction herein disclosed are for purposes of illustration and not limitation, except as made necessary by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a towel dispensing cabinet mechanism, in combination, a side wall forming a support for the mechanism, a towel measuring roll having a shaft thereof journaled in said side wall and extending beyond one side thereof, said measuring roll being forcibly rotated upon withdrawal of a portion of toweling from the cabinet, a member mounted on said shaft extension for concurrent rotation therewith and in spaced relation to said side wall, a dog mounted on said shaft extension for rotation relative thereto and gravitational sliding movement transversely thereof, means on said member engaging with said dog causing concurrent rotation therewith as the measuring roll is rotated in one direction, an abutment on said member at the opposite side of the axis of rotation of the member from said means, a stop mounted on the said side wall for engagement with said dog upon rotation of the roll in one direction after withdrawal of a measured length of toweling from the cabinet, resilient means for deflection by said member abutment when said dog is held against said stop by a withdrawal force applied to said toweling and for causing reverse rotation of the member and roll independent of said dog when said force is released, a second abutment on said member, and a detent engageable with said second abutment limiting reverse rotation of the member and the measuring roll.

2. In a towel dispensing cabinet in combination a towel measuring roll forcibly rotated upon withdrawal of a length of toweling from the cabinet, a stop mounted on the roll for selective concurrent rotation therewith and gravitational movement transverse to the axis of rotation of the roll, means mounted on said roll for engagement with said stop to eifect concurrent rotation of the stop and means during forcible rotation of the roll, an abutment for engagement by said stop after withdrawal of a measured length of toweling, means for imparting reverse movement to the roll and the means mounted thereon after release of tension in the withdrawn length of toweling, and timing means mounted on said cabinet and actuated by said roll in dispensing toweling for engaging with said stop to retain it in abutment engaging position against gravitational movement after reverse rotation of the measuring roll.

3. The towel dispensing cabinet mechanism as in claim 2 wherein the timing mechanism comprises a member normally disposed across and in spaced relation to the path of movement of the extended end of the dog as it moves into engagement with the stop, means fixing one end of the member to the mechanism, a support on the mechanism engaging with the opposite end of the member permitting limited movement of the member away from said mechanism, a vacuum cup mounted on said member for engagement with and attachment to a fixed portion of the mechanism when the movable end of the member is advanced towards the mechanism, a bleed valve on said mechanism in the area of engagement between the vacuum cup and mechanism for admitting air beneath the vacuum cup to release the attachment of the vacuum cup to the mechanism, and resilient means between the member and mechanism normally retaining the free end of the member and attached vacuum cup in spaced relation to the mechanism.

4. The towel dispensing cabinet mechanism as in claim 2 wherein the timing mechanism comprises a member mounted on the machanism and movable into engagement with the dog for retaining the dog in engagement with the stop after a rotating force is released from the roll, a resilient member mounted on the mechanism and having an opening therein for reception of a plunger, a plunger member mounted on said member, means for moving the plunger member into frictional engagement with said resilient member opening, andresilient means normally retaining said plung resilient member;

er member out of engagement with the References'Cited in the-file of this patent- UNITED STATES PATENTS Shaughnessy June 29, 1920 

